Conveyer chain



July 12, 1932. s, J, BEN'NER 1,866,993

CONVEYER CHAIN Fied Dec. 4, 1.929

' Patented July 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-Ica CQNVEYER CHAINApplication led December construction andv capable of long/wear; also toprovide a chain of this sort provided with simple means, devoid. ofprojections or parts entailing the use of extra meta-l, for preventinglor limiting relative lengthwise movement or displacement between thelinks of the chain, when in use; and also to construct a chain having animproved link pivotal connection which permits the links or members ofthe chain to be readily attached or disconnected. f

Another object is to construct a, chain of this kind having alternatingseries of links in which the links of one series are formed withrelatively wide, substantially dat bearing surfaces or shoes to take thewear resulting from engagement of the chain with sprocket wheels, guiderails or other parts, and which links, while giving long wear, also actto hold or maintain the other series of links outof contact with suchyparts.

Other objects are to provide a drive or conveyer chain having improvedlong wearing pivotal connections between the links thereof; also toconstruct said pivotal vconnections t; so that wobbling or tiltingbetweei the links g5 of the chain and also between the chain and theguides,` sprockets and other parts with which it engages in use isprevented; and also to construct a pivotal connection of this sort forthe purpose last mentioned, which provides a threesurface bearing andwhich is such that the interengagement and fit between the parts of thepivotal connection will be improved by wear incident to the use of thechain. l

Other objects of the invention are to improve driye or conveyer chainsin the othery respects hereinafter set forth and claimed.

.- In the drawing:

I .Sll Figa-1 is a plan view ofia portion of a drive 4, 1929. Serial No.411,518.

or conveyer chain illustrating an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of aportion f gf the chain, approximately on the line 3--3, '5 5 ig. 2;

' Fig. 4 is a transverse section thereof, approximately on the line 4-4,Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of one of the inner links of thechain;

Fig 6 is a side elevation of a portionof one of the members forming anouter link of the chain; and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section thereof, on line 7-7 Fig. 6. v 6 In theillustrated embodiment of the invention, the drive or conveyer chaincomprises a series of vinner or connecting links 10 alternating with aseries of outer links 11. The

latter links each comprises a pair of elongated' 70 substantially flatside members 12 arranged on edge at the oppositey outer sides of theinner connecting links 10.

. The inner links 10 can be of any suitable uconstruction. In the formshown, each link 7-5 10 comprises two elongated parallel spaced portions13 extending lengthwise of the chain and integrally connected at theirends lto transverse cylindrical portions 14. Pivot studs or journals 15project laterally of the 80 links from the ends of said transversecylindrical portions 141.

The side members 12 of the double outer links'll are provided preferablyat both ends with arcuate bearing and pivot retaining seats 16 in whichsaid pivot studs or journals 15 of the other links 10 rotatably engage,each pair of members 12 being thus connected to the two pivot studs orjournals 15 at the adjacent ends of two of the inner links 10, 9 asshown in Figs. 1 .and'2.

' As shown in the drawing, each of the outer link members 12 is ofskeleton form having a lengthwise extending slot or aperture 18 which,as shown,"may be'intercepted by an intermediate bracing or cross piece18a, connecting the opposite parallel side edges or portions 19. Thebearing seats 16 are formed at the opposite outer ends of said slot 18as on shown in Figs. lf, 6 and 7. Each of these seats comprises areduced intermediate por tion 20 of arcuate or interrupted cylindrical'flaring, conical face 22. The ends of these` several interrupted bearing^faces 20, 21 and 22 terminate at or connect with the opposite paralleledges of the slot 18 of the member12.

Each pivot stud or journal of an inner link 10 is formed to interga eand rotatablybear upon the intermediate ace 20 and inner and outer facesj 22 and 21 of a seat 16, being formed for this purpose with anintermediate .seat portion 21 in a similar manner.

cylindrical' bearing portion 24, an inner tapered or conical portion 25extending there- .from to and connecting with the adjacent end of thecross piece 14, and an outer head or retaining portion 26. This head orretaining portion 26 is also .of tapered form but is preferablyinterrupted or cut away at opposite sides or in a directionperpendicular to the length of the chain, as shown in Fig. 2.

The width of the intermediate cylindrical bearing portion 24 of thestudor journal 15 isV such that the studs will fit snugly and rotatablyengage in' the seats 16 with the inner conical portion 25 of each studrotatably fitting or bearing on the corresponding inner conical face 22of the seat, and with the outer interrupted conical face of the head 26engaging and rotatably bearing on the outer conical In this way arelatively wide or extensive bearing contact is provided between the.pivot studs 15 and the seats 16, and which forms a three face bearingmaintaining the link members 12- in alinement, preventing lateralmovement thereof, and also preventing wobbling or twisting of the linksof the chain relatively to each other and to the sprockets, guides orother members over which the chain passes.

By making the outer head portion 26'o'f the pivots-15 of elongate orinterrupted coni# cal form as described, the inner and outer links canbe readily connected toegther or detached by moving one link intosubstantially perpendicular relation tothe other, whereupon the narrowportion .of the head is brought lengthwise of the corresponding slot 18and can bereadily inserted into or removed therefrom.

As longas the links are maintained in operative position one to theother, however,

there is no possibility of accidental disenga ement of the inner andouter links and relatlve lengthwise movements of these links isprevented, since the distance between the opposite ends of the elongatedhead portions 26 is` greater than the distance between the inneropposite ends of the conical seat portions 21 where theseportions joinor merge into the parallel side portions of the adjacent slot 18' 'Thusany relative lengthwise movement of the pivots 15 into the slots 18, andconsequently between the inner and outer links, 1s prevented by theengagement of the heads 26 in or with the seat portions 21, during thethat the vertical dimension or height of theinner links 10, is less thanthev corresponding dimensions of the outer link members 12. Whentherefore the chain is traveling along a guide or other' supportingmember, only the outer links 11 will en age with such members, the innerlinks belng held out of contact therewith by said links 11. In order tofurther increase the life ofthe chain, the outer link members 12 havetheir side edge portions-19 formed-with relatively wide andsubstantially flat parallel bearin faces 30, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4,and whic due to the considerable amount of material, of which they areformed, give relatively long wear. These wide faces also act incooperation with the pivotal connections in maintainin the chain linksagainst wobbling y. and twlsting during their movement.

A drive or conveyerv chain constructed as described can be made with aminimum number of operations and produced at a low cost since the linksthereof can be formed of drop forgings. In making such drop forgings, itis of course', necessary to form the dies with suflicient draw or taperto enable them to be separated from the forgings. This procedure resultsin forming the bearing faces 30 of the link members 12 with a slightintermediate ridge or taper as oindicated in Figs. .3 and 4. This,however, is of no particular` disadvantage since this'ridge soon wearsaway and leaves the desired flat bearingl surfaces 30. i While theseveral novel -features have vbeen described and' illustrated inconnection with a chain having alternate single and double links, theymay be advantageously employed in connection with chains of otherconstruction.

I claim: f

1. A chain comprising alternate inner and outer links, each ofthe lattercomprising a pair of spaced members disposed at opposite sides of saidinner links and each having a longitudinal slot formed witharcuate-pivot bearingseats at the ends thereof, said' pivot seats eachcomprising an interrupted cylinsponding intermediate cylindrical andopposite flaring conical portions which rotatably it in said seats toprovide a three face 1- contact, and one of said pivot portions actingin Cooperation withfthe corresponding seat i,see,eea

portion to prevent' said pivot from moving out of said seat and enteringthe adjacent slot except when said links are moved into an in# operativerelation, whereby relative lengthwise displacement between the chainlinks is prevented during normal use of the chain. 2. A chain linkhaving a body, and a pivot stud extending laterally therefrom and whichcom rises an axial cylindrical intermediate portion, an inner flaringconical portion extending from one side thereof and connecting with apart on said body vwhich extends lengthwise of said pivot axis directlyaw yv from. said conical portion, andan outer ilaring, interruptedconical enlargement extending from the opposite side thereof.

e 3. A chain comprising inner and outer links, each of the lattercomprisin a air of spaced members disposed at opposite sides of saidinner links and each having a longitudinal slot formed with arcuatepivot bearing seats at the ends thereof, each seat comprising anintermediate, interrupted, cylindrical and opposite outwardly Haringconical face portions extending to opposite perpendicular slide faces onsaid and said inner link avin ivots rotata y engagin in sai seats agnd)each of which is formed vith Aa cylindrical intermediate portion andopposite, 3 outwardly flaring conical portions corresponding to andengageable in said seats, and i the conical ortions of said ivots whichare located at t e inner sides'o said outer links being extended fromthe intermediate portions of said pivotsto or beyond said sides andconnecting with portions of said inner links. 'which extends perndicularv-fto said sides of said outer links, t ereby providing anon-binding pivotal connection between said 4 inner and outer links.STANLEY J. BENNER.

